Saturday, February 19, 2011

Holographic Entertainment: Way Better than Current 3D

3D is still the trend when it comes to blockbusters and today's consumer technology, but there has been a more effective way to watch things in three dimensions for a while. You've heard of it and seen it many places, but it's ability to be immersed in mainstream media has been limited. I'm talking, of course, about holograms. Holograms essentially display images as if they were real objects. You're able to walk around them and view them from all sides. Just think what this will do for video chats, conferencing, movies, TV, medical and engineering departments, and...er...um porn.

The reason 3D technology will eventually be ousted is not only that holograms will look and feel more realistic, but the technology can never let you reach that point. Your eyes converge on actual objects, but in 3D movies they stay fixed on the screen. The more "3D" the look of the media the more flicker you get while watching it. It makes it more and less real at the same time. Plus you also can get major headaches and eyestrain from watching 3D content because it's fooling your eyes to make it seem like there is depth when there really isn't any. It's for this reason children under six should stay away from watching 3D media. However, with hologram technology there will be physical depth to the image that your eyes can converge at just like a real object.

You can expect to see holographic TVs for sale within the next few years or so. With all this new tech coming out it's only a matter of time before they make the holograms smell like objects (hello again smell-o-vision), move the hologram, and feel like something is there (i.e. Japan's ultrasonic sound hologram).

Educate yourself! See how much hologram technology has evolved under your nose. Check out these pictures, links, and videos:

Hit the jump for more videos, an amazing hologram, and a crappy one.

Below is a holographic anime like character who has become immensly famous in Japan. One thing comes to mind..."only in Japan".

She is cute, stylish and has had a number one chart-topping single. Japan’s newest and biggest pop star differs from most of her peers in one crucial aspect: she is a hologram. Hatsune Miku has taken the music scene by storm in her native Japan where her concerts are always sold out and are full of screaming, adoring fans.Miku is a digital avatar created by Japanese technology firm Crypton Future Media that customers can purchase and then program to perform any song on their computer.

Of course, we can't forget CNN's hologram splurge that looks like a badly Photoshoped person. Granted it's a state of the art Photoshoped person.

*At the World Cup in 2022 Japan plans to work with South Korea in creating a fully 3D and holographic version of the game. More info here.
* Scientific method seen here.
* If you'd like to know more about why "3D doesn't work and never will" then click this link.